Photographic images or pictures may be represented and stored as a sequence of digital information. For instance, a photograph may be placed into a scanner connected to a computer system. The scanner is designed to convert images into digital information. A typical scanner comprises a row of discrete light sensors that are stepped sequentially across the photograph. At each discrete step the intensity and/or color of the photograph is measured by each discrete sensor in the row. The values are read out of the sensors prior to moving the row to the next discrete step. The row of light sensors is thus moved step-by-step across the photograph until the entire image is scanned. The end result is an array of data values representing the photographic image, where each value is the measurement taken by the discrete sensor element for a particular row. The information collected may then be transferred to a computer for further processing. This process of converting image information into discrete values representing individual picture elements or pixels is also known as scanning.
In the past, the typical way to create an electronic image was through such a scanner connected to a computer. Thus, if an individual desired to have a digital electronic photograph the individual would typically use a conventional photographic camera to create a film image, have it processed onto photographic paper, and then scan the image into a computer with a scanner. Recently, this process has changed with the advent of digital cameras - cameras that directly create a digital photograph that may be transferred directly into a computer.
The creation of digital cameras has created an opportunity to utilize the unique aspects of a digital photograph. For instance, a digital photograph can be sent across a computer network and shared by others electronically. In addition, digital photographs allow further image manipulation.
Recent advances in technology have broadened the utility of digital photographs. The first advance is the penetration of powerful personal computers in the home environment. These new personal computers are capable of running complex processing applications. Today, a typical system includes a 32 bit processor, large memory array, high capacity mass storage device, high resolution color monitor and fast modem. The price for such a system is now within the budget of many households.
The second advance is the development and acceptance of the world wide web (WWW, web or Internet) as a mode of exchanging electronic information. The web is a network of computer systems that allow the free interchange of information. Users at a home computer or clients connects via a modem to the web via an Internet Service Provider (ISP) which provides users local access to the web. Users seeking access to the web typically dial up and connect to an ISP, which acts as an intermediary and passes data between the web and the user. Also connected to the web are serversxe2x80x94computers capable of supplying information or services to users. Each individual computer connected to the web has a unique identifier so that information can be directed to the proper location. Information is passed between users on the web via pages displayed on a browser.
ISPs also provide the home user the ability to send and receive electronic mail (email). Often an individual accessing the web will have an email address, a unique identifier for a particular user that allows that user to receive mail. The ISP will receive the email for the user and store it until the user dials into the ISP to actually retrieve the messages.
These events have created a situation where an individual at home can download the images captured by their digital camera or scanner into their home computer, connect to the web by modem in their computer, and transmit their picture onto the web. Thus, the individual can send the image to a second person, at a remote location.
As digital cameras become widely accepted, a greater need will arise for flexibility in the electronic distribution of images. Current methods for distribution include email where the digital photograph is converted to a textual representation, sent to the remote user who then converts the textual representation back into the digital photograph. Users may also distribute the digital photograph via predesigned web pages which allows any number of remote users to examine the digital photograph. None of the current mechanisms allow the user to transfer a digital photograph to a server, process the image data into a display and send a notification to one or more specific individuals to view the display.
Accordingly, it is a goal of the present invention to provide a system which can load a picture image onto a server and to provide notice to specific individuals.
It is an alternate goal of the present invention to allow the creation of electronic postcard composed of the user""s digital photograph.
It is an alternate goal of the present invention to allow the creation of electronic postcard that mimics aspects of a conventional postcard.
It is an alternate goal of the present invention to allow the creation of electronic postcard having a postmark or logo information.
It is an alternate goal of the present invention to allow the creation of electronic postcard that includes the ability to merge text information with the digital photograph.
Other objects will be obvious and will appear hereinafter. The invention comprises an article of manufacture as exemplified in the following summary and detailed description.
The present invention is a system and method for processing electronic image data. The system comprises at least one server computer connected to a network. The server is adapted to receive electronic image data from a second computer connected to the network. The server processes the electronic image data and creates a display containing at least a portion of the processed electronic image data. One or more displays may be assigned a unique identifier. The data representing the display is in a format that allows for transmission to and viewing on a client computer. Viewing on the client computer is preferably accomplished via a web browser. The server is also adapted to send a notification containing the unique identifier to at least one person via the network. The person receiving the unique identifier can retrieve the one or more displays represented by the identifier from the server for viewing.
The processing on the server consists of one or more of the following: captioning, formatting, storing, transmitting, centering, cropping, flipping, anti-aliasing, scaling, compressing, filtering, color correcting, adding special borders and/or corner motifs, blurring, and adding visual effects. In addition, the client may be augmented to perform a portion of the processing during interactions with the server.
The data for the electronic image may also be provided via a photo processor where film is developed and then converted into an electronic image. The data representing the electronic image may then be transferred from the photo processor to the client computer or directly to the server computer.
The above mentioned objectives of the present invention will become more apparent and the invention itself better understood with reference to the following description of the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.